“Our first menu was presented in a very Venezuelan manner,” says López Vermut about the original Pica Pica in Napa, Calif., which she opened in 2008, and the second outpost she inaugurated in San Francisco’s Mission District in 2010.

“But Californians wanted to ‘build their own,’ so we decided to go with the flow,” says the San Francisco chef. “We even created our own dipping sauces, which everyone kept asking for, though these do not exist in Venezuela.”

The opening of the latest location in San Francisco’s Castro District reflects changes that come with introspection and reaching common ground.
Nachos Pica Pica (taro chips and pulled pork), more salads and dinner platters are now on the menu.

“It’s an exciting time,” López Vermut says. “We can’t wait to see where we go next.”